A few scanning tips

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HP PrecisionScan LT

The Hewlett-Packard scanner family is uniquely designed to fully
automate the scanning process. About every model has a different
PrecisionScan software version, each version is quite different,
addressing different user needs and skills. Within one model, the
different scanner suffix variations, like 4200C, 4200Cse, 4200Cxi, are
the same model scanner and PrecisionScan version, bundled with different
application programs.

3200 - PrecisionScan LT - Parallel port

4200 - PrecisionScan LT - USB port

5200 - PrecisionScan - USB and Parallel, use either.

6200 - PrecisionScan Pro - USB and SCSI, use either.

This section is a look at the PrecisionScan LT software with the HP
4200 scanner. It is not an actual scanner review, nor an evaluation of
the hardware, it is a look at the software that you use to scan an image.
In most scanner families, most or all models use the same software, but
HP packages the hardware and software in specific combinations.

The PrecisionScan LT (3200, 4200) and PrecisionScan (5200) software is
very automated. The goal is to scan the image automatically
without requiring the user to understand many details. Not everyone will
want to give up user control to this extent, but many will enjoy the ease
of use.

PrecisionScan LT includes integrated OCR software from Caere. There is
also a HP ScanJet Copy Utility that is a convenient "scan and print" copy
program Adobe PhotoDeluxe 3.0 is included too. The Help is quite
good, much of it is in a question and answer approach that should cover
most issues.

There is a button on the front of the scanner, push it and the
PrecisionScan LT startup screen appears. Or you can start PrecisionScan
LT as a regular program from the Windows Start button. Or you can use the
FILE - ACQUIRE menu in image programs to start PrecisionScan LT.

This screen applies only to the PrecisionScan LT software. Other
models are different.

On this first screen, you select a destination for the image,
typically a program or a file. Most of your image and text and fax and
email programs will be there. If not, you can always output the image to
a disk file, or use the clipboard. All the usual image file formats are
offered, plus text and RTF, and also FlashPix.

The "Start a New Scan" button is the Preview scan, which also analyzes the image and determines its type and location on the scanner bed. You can change that type with the Output Type selection:

The Settings menu allows you to specify that the output page image will
be the original size (for photos for example), or scaled to fill a
specified dimension, or scaled to a given percentage of the original
size. The selected size is shown, in pixels (video screen), or
inches or cm (printing). The "Scan in Color" can disable automatic
selection of color mode for B&W documents. The resolution is
automatically set appropriately for the destination and mode that you
select, for example, for OCR or fax. The Settings menu also allows you to
change the default resolution in most cases.

Basically, you choose a destination, adjust size if desired, and click
the Scan button. There are no user adjustments for image contrast and
color balance, this is all done automatically by PrecisionScan LT. You
can disable the automatic sharpening but it has no other adjustment.
There are very few controls at all that are associated with the image,
the automation takes care of it. Any subsequent image changes can be done
in the provided Adobe PhotoDeluxe. Even image mode and resolution and
sizing is selected automatically in the software, but there are overrides
for these fundamentals.

This is the HP ScanJet Copy utility, common to all current
PrecisionScan versions/models except the 3200. It provides one button
copying, like a copy machine, but in color too. You can configure the HP
Button Manager (in Windows Control Panel - Scanners) to start this
utility instead of PrecisionScan LT.